NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche - Source: ImagnNathan MacKinnon talks about why NHL stars prefer training in Vail (image credit: IMAGN)

Nathan MacKinnon has explained why top NHL players like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby prefer training in Vail, Colorado, over busy Canadian cities like Toronto and Montreal. On Episode 526 of “Spittin’ Chiclets” on Tuesday, he sat down with hosts Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette to talk about his offseason practice in Vail. He said that it offers a peaceful environment away from the constant recognition and distractions they experience in other cities.

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[1:23:54] “I’m sure you’ve heard about those Vail camps like 15 years ago, 10 years ago, and then COVID happened, so we stopped doing them for a bit,” MacKinnon said, ” Then we started doing BioSteel camps and stuff when COVID happened, and then we’re back in Vail, so it was awesome.”

“It was McDavid, Marner, Sid, Skinner, Hall, Tyson Barrie was there. I’m forgetting guys… uh, Yeah, Tkachuk, Schenn, Bennett, Monahan — unreal, unreal guys.”

Training in the mountains at 9,000 feet also provides a unique challenge. MacKinnon emphasized how Vail’s relaxed setting helps players focus. The city allows them to train, get treatment and unwind by playing golf or relaxing in a calm atmosphere.

“And then after we get like treatment or golf or whatever, so it’s cool up in Vail because no one knows any of us. It’s super chill. We’ve done them in Toronto and Montreal, and it’s just busy. It just feels super busy. In Vail, it’s such a great vibe. Training in the mountains at 9,000 feet is super cool.”

Nathan MacKinnon will play on Tuesday when the Colorado Avalanche face the Vegas Golden Knights. The game will start at 10:00 p.m. EDT.

Nathan MacKinnon feels “like a kid,” watching McDavid and Crosby

Although the camps last only for a few days, the experience of skating with elite players is enjoyable. Nathan MacKinnon said it’s fun to watch McDavid and Crosby in action and described it as a moment that makes him feel like a kid again.

[1:25:37] “I just think it’s just fun.” MacKinnon said, “Like, it’s only three or four days, like I don’t know how much better you’re going to get, but just being on the ice with Connor — I don’t skate with Connor very much, I don’t see him, but I’ve got to know him over the years and just — it’s just fun.

“I feel like a little kid, honestly, just watching McDavid fly around in Vail is just fun. And Sid, and you know, and then Tkachuk doing his thing. It’s really cool.”

McKinnon added that it’s a rare experience and a great memory for him.

“It’s a group of guys that would never skate together, just because Americans, Canadians, and it’s just a different mix. But, yeah, it’s just one of those great memories I’ll look back on. It’s really cool to be a part of.

Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby, both from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, have a close friendship. They’ve played together in All-Star Games and are expected to team up in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. MacKinnon said training with him, his childhood idol, is a dream come true.